Carbohydrate agent of high water retention power, process of making same, and composition containing same

ABSTRACT

The reaction product of a carbohydrate such as a sugar, with an alkaline agent such as an alkali metal hydroxide solution has a high water retention power which is about as high as that of the neutral skin sugar fraction obtained by extraction of the stratum corneum and far superior to that of hygroscopic compounds such as glycerol, glycols, the water-soluble amino acid fraction of the skin and others which, although they attract water, permit rapid evaporation thereof.

The preferred reaction products of a sugar with an alkaline agent arethe reaction products obtained on prolonged contact of glucose and/orlactose with an alkali metal hydroxide solution, especially a sodiumhydroxide solution at room temperature for several weeks. They arepreferably used in mixture in a proportion of about 95 parts of theglucose reaction product with about 5% of the lactose reaction product.

The composition of such reaction products is similar to that of theneutral skin sugar fraction and is characterized by a content ofmannose, fructose, glucose, galactose, lactose, and the degradationproduct of lactose.

These reaction products are incorporated, preferably in amounts of about0.1% to about 5%, into cosmetic compositions as they are used in thetreatment of the skin such as skin creams, skin lotions, cleansingemulsions, after-shave lotions, face lotions, hair tonics, and others.The result of their application to the skin is an improvement in thesmoothness and flexibility of the skin due to its improved waterretention, thereby eliminating, or retarding, the appearance of aging ofthe skin.

The present invention relates to a cosmetic composition and moreparticularly to a cosmetic preparation containing an agent capable ofretaining water in the human skin, to a process of producing such acomposition and agent and of using same.

It is known that the pliancy and smoothness of the skin, its function,and its appearance is dependent on the water content of the horny layer,i.e. the stratum corneum of the epidermis whereby said water content isdetermined by the content of said horny layer of certain specificwater-soluble components of the skin. More particularly the amino acidfraction has been identified as hygroscopically effective component.

It is also known to add hygroscopic agents which are foreign to the bodysuch as glycerol, glycols, sorbitol, and the like to cosmeticcompositions, salves, ointments, and the like cosmetic andpharmaceutical preparations in order to keep the skin smooth, flexible,and free of wrinkles. Likewise, hygroscopic agents which are derivedfrom the human body, such as the hygroscopic amino acids, salts of aminoacids, mixtures of pentoses and amino acids, certain proteinaceouscompounds, and others produce the same effect, i.e. they attract water.However, all these agents have the great disadvantage that they do notprevent, or even retard, rapid evaporation of the water, when applied tothe skin.

It is one object of the present invention to provide an agent which,when applied to the skin, causes retention of the water in the hornylayer of the skin and thus establishes, and assures, the normal watercontent of the horny layer of the skin, thereby eliminating dryness,coarseness, and roughness of the skin and to counteract the appearanceof aging of the skin as far as it is based on dryness of the hornylayer.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cosmeticcomposition which improves the water retention of the horny layer of theskin and thus eliminates, or considerably retards, dryness and theappearance of aging of the skin.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a simple andeffective process of producing such an agent capable of retaining thewater in the horny layer of the skin and thus of eliminating drying out.[.and the appearance of aging.]. of the skin.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a process oftreating the human skin so as to improve, by its water retaining power,its smoothness, flexibility, and pliancy and to prevent premature agingdue to the horny layer of the skin becoming dry and inflexible.

Other objects of the present invention and advantageous features thereofwill become apparent as the description proceeds.

In principle the present invention is concerned with the production of aneutral carbohydrate or sugar fraction which is obtained from the hornylayer of the human skin and which represents the water retaining agentof said horny layer or stratum corneum. It is obtained by extracting thehuman skin and especially its horny layer.

According to an important further embodiment of the present invention areaction product which is capable of retaining water on application tothe skin is obtained by the action of an alkaline agent, such as analkali metal hydroxide solution and especially of sodium hydroxidesolution.Iadd., .Iaddend.on a carbohydrate or sugar. The preferredreaction products are those which are obtained by the action of analkali metal hydroxide solution on glucose and/or lactose. A mixturecomposed of 19 parts of the reaction product of sodium hydroxidesolution on glucose and 1 part of the reaction product of sodiumhydroxide solution on lactose is quite similar to the above mentionedneutral sugar fraction of the skin not only in its composition but alsoin its capacity to retain water.

It was found by comparative tests such as analysis and testing for waterretention power, that the reaction product of an alkali metal hydroxidesolution on a sugar and especially on glucose and lactose is capable ofreplacing or substituting the effect, i.e. the ability of keeping theskin smooth and flexible, of the neutral skin sugar fraction whenapplying said reaction product to the skin and incorporating it into thehorny layer as the effective component of cosmetic compositions, forinstance, in the form of oil-in-water emulsions or of water-in-oilemulsions or in the form of sols or gels.

The attached drawing illustrates the water retention power of thereaction product according to the present invention in its preferredembodiment, i.e. the reaction products of glucose and lactose withsodium hydroxide solution, as compared with the water retention power ofthe neutral sugar fraction obtained from skin and with hygroscopicagents as they are conventionally used in cosmetic preparations. In saiddrawing the water retention power of said agents is shown by curveswhereby the ordinate indicates the water retention in mg. of water for100 mg. of the agent while the abscissa indicates the time units asdefined hereinafter.

The following agents have been tested for their water retention powerand the following curves have been plotted from the results obtained:

(1) Reaction product of glucose and lactose with sodium hydroxidesolution according to the present invention.

(2) Neutral sugar fraction obtained from skin according to the presentinvention.

(3) Fat-free, water-soluble extract of the horny layer of the skin.

(4) Glycerol.

(5) Glucose.

(6) Water-soluble amino acid fraction of the horny layer of the skin.

(7) Lactose.

The water retention of said agents was determined by exposing the agentto be tested with added water in the proportion, by weight, of 1:3 to avacuum of about 12 mm. Hg and weighing the agent after each time unit ofexposure. One time unit corresponds to an exposure time to the water jetvacuum for 5 minutes and to a time of contact of the mixture with thealkaline agent for 90 minutes in such a vacuum, i.e. all in all to anexposure time of 95 minutes in a water jet vacuum. The tests werecarried out at constant room temperature.

These curves clearly show that the reaction product of glucose andlactose with sodium hydroxide solution as well as the neutral sugarfraction obtained from skin has a water retention power which is atleast twice as high as that of the other agents, and after exposure to avacuum of 12 mm. Hg for five time units is as least seven times as highas that of the other tested agents 4 to 7 and still at least twice ashigh as that of extract 3.

While, heretofore, mainly hygroscopic fractions of the water-solublecomponents of the horny layer of the skin have been produced andidentified and have been used in cosmetic compositions, the agentaccording to the present invention, i.e. the reaction product of acarbohydrate and preferably of glucose and lactose with an alkali metalhydroxide solution, has the property of retaining surprisingly largeamounts of water and thus of replacing or substituting thewater-soluble, neutral sugar fraction of the skin and of taking over thefunction of said fraction, namely to improve water retention in thehorny layer of the skin.

Cosmetic compositions which contain said reaction products ofcarbohydrates or sugars with alkaline agents and especially with alkalimetal hydroxide solutions according to the present invention, saidreaction products being similar to the above-mentioned highly effective,physiological water retaining agent of the horny layer of the skin, areuseful to reestablish and to preserve the normal water content of saidhorny layer by increasing its water retention power. Thereby, thedryness, inflexibility, and coarseness of the skin due to a deficiencyof the horny layer of the neutral sugar fraction can be eliminated and,as a result thereof, aging of the skin as far as it is due to dryness ofthe horny layer is counteracted or retarded.

According to another embodiment of the present invention the new andvaluable water retaining reaction products are obtained by allowingaqueous solutions of alkaline reaction, especially aqueous solutions ofalkali metal hydroxides, preferably sodium hydroxide solutions.Iadd.,.Iaddend.to act upon carbohydrates, especially upon sugars. Preferablyalkali and metal hydroxide solutions in water are used in this reaction.Thereby reaction products are obtained which have a high water retentionpower and which are similar in their composition to the neutral sugarfraction of the skin. Said neutral sugar fraction of the skin will bedesignated hereinafter and in the claims as skin sugar fraction. Bycontinually sampling and analytically testing the reaction productsduring the reaction it has been found that such a reaction product ofhigh water retention power is obtained when exposing the sugar to theaction of the alkaline solution, such as an alkali metal hydroxidesolution for several weeks whereby preferably a predetermined amount ofsodium hydroxide solution or, respectively, another alkaline solution isconsumed. .Iadd.Desired reaction products are obtained, e.g., when theanalytical testing reveals no further increase in water-retention power..Iaddend.

The reaction is preferably carried out at room temperature or atslightly increased temperature, for instance, at 20°-25° C. The reactionmay also be carried out at lower temperatures whereby it proceeds, ofcourse, more slowly. Higher temperatures may also be used. However,undesirable discoloration of the reaction product may occur at suchhigher temperatures.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention thereaction out in an alkaline medium at a pH-range between about 9.0 andabout 13.0. As soon as the pH-value decreases to a pH of 9.0 during thecourse of the reaction, further alkaline reagent such as alkali metalhydroxide solution is added to adjust the mixture to a pH of 13.0. Mostpreferably the reaction is carried out by adding the alkaline reactantsolution, for instance, a 10% alkali metal hydroxide solution inportions to the aqueous solution of the sugar whereby preferably thealkaline agent is added in relatively small portions. The concentrationsof the aqueous carbohydrate solution such as a sugar solution ispreferably between about 20% and about 30%. A concentration of about 25%has proved to be especially suitable. A sugar concentration of about 50%should preferably not be exceeded.

The proportion, by weight, of glucose to alkali metal hydroxide solutionis about 1000:6, when using sodium hydroxide solution while with lactosethe amount of sodium hydroxide solution is preferably somewhat higher,i.e. the proportion, by weight, of lactose to sodium hydroxide solutionis about 1000:14. It has been found that the amount of sodium hydroxidesolution should preferably not exceed about 1% of the glucose chargedand about 2% of the lactose charged.

The proportion of glucose to fructose in the skin sugar fraction hasbeen found to be about 47:31. Preferably the proportion of alkalinesolution to glucose is chosen in such a manner that, after reaction, theproportion of glucose to fructose is about 60:40, preferably 53:37. Theprogress of the fructose formation during reaction can readily becontrolled by sugar analysis.

The reaction of lactose with the alkaline agent according to the presentinvention, i.e. the proportion of lactose to alkaline agent, ispreferably carried out in such a manner that the reaction productcontains lactose and its cleavage products in the proportion, by weight,between about 60:40 and about 40:60.

Of course, not only the proportion of the reactants, i.e. the sugar andthe alkaline agent, but also the concentration of the reactants in thereaction solution is of importance for properly carrying out thereaction under the most favorable conditions. Preliminary tests permitreadily to determine these optimum parameters.

After the reaction is completed, the pH-value of the reaction mixture ispreferably adjusted to a slightly acid pH, for instance, by the additionof lactic acid.

The preferred procedure is to produce the reaction products of glucoseand of fructose separately and to mix said reaction products in aboutthe same proportion as they are present in the skin sugar fraction.

The following examples serve to illustrate the production of thereaction products of glucose and of lactose with the alkaline solutionswithout, however, limiting the same thereto.

EXAMPLE 1

1000 g. of glucose in its hydrate form (1H₂ O) are dissolved in 4000 cc.of distilled water, 10 cc. of an aqueous 10% sodium hydroxide solutionare added to said glucose solution while stirring. The mixture isallowed to stand in a closed container at a temperature of 22° C.±1° C.The initial pH-value of about 12.0 decreases in the course of thereaction. It is determined daily. As soon as it has decreased to a pHbelow 9.0, 10 cc. of 10% sodium hydroxide solution are added to thereaction mixture to reestablish the initital pH-value. Said addition ofthe sodium hydroxide solution is repeated until the desired compositionof the reaction mixture as ascertained by sugar analysis has beenattained. Usually 60 cc. of an aqueous 10% sodium hydroxide solution areconsumed. When proceeding as described hereinabove, the requiredreaction is obtained after 24 days. The pH-value of the resultingreaction mixture is then adjusted to a pH of 6.0 by the addition oflactic acid.

The reaction mixture is stable at neutral and slightly acid pH-values.It is protected against microbial .Iadd. especially bacterialdecomposition by the addition of .Iaddend. and known preserving agents,by sterilizing, or by other known means and methods.

EXAMPLE 2

1000 g. of lactose are dissolved in 4000 cc. of distilled water. 60 cc.of an aqueous 10% sodium hydroxide solution are added thereto whilestirring. The mixture is allowed to stand at 20° C.±1° C. in a closedcontainer. The initial pH-value of the mixture of 13.0 decreases in thecourse of the reaction. It is determined daily. As soon as it hasdecreased to a pH below 9.0, 10 cc. of said 10% sodium hydroxidesolution are added to adjust the pH-value of the mixture to the initialpH of about 13.0. The addition of 10% sodium hydroxide solution isrepeated until the reaction product has the desired composition asdetermined by sugar analysis. A total amount of 140 cc. of 10% sodiumhydroxide solution are consumed. Usually this result is achieved within31 days when proceeding under the above given conditions. Thereafter,the pH-value is adjusted to a pH of 6.0 by the addition of lactic acid.

The resulting reaction product is stable at neutral and slightly acidpH-values. It is protected against microbial, especially bacterialdecomposition by the addition of known preserving agents, bysterilizing, or by other known means and methods.

The water retaining agent according to the present invention in itspreferred composition is prepared by mixing about 95% of the reactionproduct obtained according to Example 1 by the action of sodiumhydroxide solution on glucose with about 5% of the reaction productobtained according to Example 2 by the action of sodium hydroxidesolution on lactose. Such a preferred sugar reaction product which willbe designated hereinafter and in the claims as "ZUK," has the followingcomposition.

    ______________________________________                                        Compound:                 Percent                                             ______________________________________                                        Not yet known reaction product designated                                     as U.sub.2                0.1                                                 Psicose                   0.5                                                 Glutose (most probably)   0.2                                                 Mannose                   3.6                                                 Fructose                  37.0                                                Glucose                   53.3                                                Galactose                 1.3                                                 Degradation product of lactose                                                                          0.9                                                 Lactose                   2.5                                                 ______________________________________                                    

The skin sugar fraction, i.e. the water-soluble, neutral sugar fractionas obtained by extraction of skin with water has the followingcomposition.

    ______________________________________                                        Compound:                  Percent                                            ______________________________________                                        Compound U.sub.1 the structure of which is not yet                            known but which is not a hexose                                                                          4.7                                                Psicose                    0.2                                                Glutose (most probably)    2.2                                                Mannose                    3.0                                                Fructose                   31.1                                               Glucose                    46.7                                               Galactose                  2.1                                                Degradation product of lactose                                                                           3.1                                                Lactose                    6.5                                                ______________________________________                                    

The agent according to the preferred embodiment of the present inventionof the hereinabove given composition is characterized by its high waterretention power which, as is shown in the drawing by curves 1 or 2, ismany times higher than the water retention power of glucose (curve 5)and lactose (curve 7), i.e. the starting materials used for preparingsaid agent as described in Examples 1 and 2 and also of the amino acidfraction of the skin (curve 6) and of glycerol (curve 4) given forcomparison. It is interesting to note that the entire water-soluble skinextract (curve 3) has also a considerably lower water retention powerthan the reaction product "ZUK" or the skin sugar fraction according tothe present invention.

The following examples serve to illustrate cosmetic compositions whichhave proved of value in imparting, or restoring, to skin smoothness andflexibility and in preventing, or retarding, the appearance of aging ofthe skin, without, however, limiting said examples thereto.

EXAMPLE 3

A skin cream is prepared in the usual manner in the form of anoil-in-water emulsion. Its composition is as follows:

20.0 g. of isopropyl ester of myristic acid,

6.0 g. of petrolatum (Vaseline),

4.0 g. of spermaceti,

3.0 g. of beeswax,

6.0 g. of tertiary wax alcohol phosphate,

0.4 g. of p-hydroxy benzoic acid ethyl ester,

3.0 g. of the mixture of 95 parts, by weight, of the reaction product ofExample 1 and 5 parts, by weight, of the reaction product of Example 2,i.e. of the agent "ZUK,"

0.5 g. of perfume, and

57.1 g. of water.

EXAMPLE 4

A cleansing oil-in-water emulsion is prepared in the usual manner, forinstance, by mixing the ingredients and cooling while stirringvigorously. Its composition is as follows:

12.0 g. of the isopropyl ester of palmitic acid,

2.0 g. of paraffinum subliquidum,

2.0 g. of sorbitan sequistearate,

3.0 g. of sucrose monopalmitate,

0.4 g. of p-hydroxy benzoic acid ethyl ester,

3.0 g. of the agent "ZUK,"

0.5 g. of perfume, and

77.1 g. of water.

EXAMPLE 5

A skin cream in the form of a water-in-oil emulsion is prepared in theusual manner. Its composition is as follows:

38.00 g. of the isopropyl ester of myristic acid,

6.00 g. of adeps lanae (wool fat),

12.50 g. of beeswax,

7.00 g. of petrolatum (Vaseline),

0.75 g. of cholesterol,

1.00 of sodium tetraborate,

0.65 g. of p-hydroxy benzoic acid ethyl ester,

3.00 g. of the agent "ZUK,"

0.70 g. of perfume, and

30.40 g. of water.

EXAMPLE 6

An after-shave lotion is prepared in the usual manner from the followingcomponents:

0.2 g. of lactic acid,

0.2 g. of butanol,

0.2 g. of the agent "ZUK,"

0.5 g. of perfume,

45.0 g. of pure 96%, by volume, ethanol, and

53.9 g. of water.

EXAMPLE 7

A face lotion is prepared in the usual manner from the followingingredients:

0.3 g. of lactic acid,

16.2 g. of distilled hamamelis extract,

0.3 g. of the agent "ZUK,"

0.3 g. of perfume,

30.0 g. of pure 96%, by volume, ethanol, and

59.9 g. of water.

EXAMPLE 8

A hair tonic is prepared in the usual manner from the followingingredients:

0.5 g. of salicylic acid,

0.2 g. of the agent "ZUK,"

0.6 g. of perfume,

50.0 g of isopropyl alcohol, and

48.7 g. of water.

These and other cosmetic compositions are capable of keeping the skinsmooth and flexible due to their high water retention power. Thereby,the agent "ZUK" may be replaced by the skin sugar fraction, althoughthis, in general, is not feasible due to the difficulty of obtainingsuch skin sugar fractions. It is evident from the above given examplesthat relatively small amounts of the water retaining agents arerequired. Amounts between about 0.1% and about 5.0% and preferablybetween about 0.2% and about 3% of the water retaining agent have provedto yield fully satisfactory results.

The preferred water retaining agent according to the present inventionis characterized by being composed of the following main ingredients:

                      Percent                                                     ______________________________________                                        Mannose          Between 2.0 and 8.0.                                         Fructose         Between 25.0 and 50.0.                                       Glucose          Between 35.0 and 60.0.                                       Galactose        Between 1.0 and 3.0.                                         Degradation product                                                           of lactose       Between 0.5 and 4.5.                                         Lactose          Between 2.0 and 8.0.                                         ______________________________________                                    

Of course, many changes and variations in the sugars subjected to theaction of the alkaline agents, in the alkaline agent used for preparingthe water retaining agents, in the reaction conditions, temperatures,duration, concentration of the reacting solutions, in the methods ofpurifying and working up the reaction mixture, in the composition ofcosmetic preparations containing the water retaining agents, and thelike may be made by those skilled in the art in accordance with theprinciples set forth herein and in the claims annexed thereto.

We claim:
 1. .[.In a.]. .Iadd.A .Iaddend.process .[.of.]. .Iadd.for.Iaddend.producing a carbohydrate mixture having a high water retentionpower.[., the steps which comprise.]. .Iadd.and comprising.Iaddend.adding an aqueous alkali metal hydroxide solution to an aqueoussolution of a carbohydrate selected from the group consisting ofglucose, lactose, and a mixture of glucose and lactose, so as to adjustthe pH-value of said carbohydrate solution to a pH of about 13.0,allowing the carbohydrate to react with said alkali metal hydroxideuntil the pH-value of the mixture has decreased to a pH of about 9.0,again adding the alkali metal hydroxide solution to the reaction mixtureto adjust the pH-value of about 13.0, allowing the reaction to proceeduntil the pH-value of the mixture has decreased to a pH of about 9.0,and repeating said addition of the alkali metal hydroxide solution andreaction of the carbohydrate therewith at a pH between about 13.0 andabout 9.0 until no further increase in the water retention power of themixture of reaction products is achieved, and adjusting the pH-value ofthe reaction mixture to a pH of about 6.0. .[.to recover the reactionproduct from the reaction mixture.]..
 2. The process according to claim1, wherein the aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide is asolution containing about 10% of sodium hydroxide.
 3. The processaccording to claim 1, wherein the aqueous solution of a carbohydrate isa solution containing 20% to 30% of said carbohydrate.
 4. The processaccording to claim 1, wherein the reaction temperature is between about15° C. and about 30° C.
 5. The process according to claim 1, wherein thecarbohydrate solution is an aqueous glucose solution.
 6. The processaccording to claim 1, wherein the carbohydrate solution is a lactosesolution.
 7. In a process of producing an agent of high water retentionpower, the steps which comprise adding an aqueous solution of an alkalimetal hydroxide to an aqueous solution of glucose, allowing the mixtureto react at a pH between about 9.0 and about 13.0, and acidifying theresulting reaction mixture to a pH of about 6.0, the proportion ofglucose to alkali metal hydroxide in the reaction solution beingadjusted so as to produce fructose in the resulting reaction mixture inan amount corresponding to about 40 parts of fructose for about 60 partsof glucose.
 8. In a process of producing an agent of high waterretention power, the steps which comprise adding an aqueous solution ofan alkali metal hydroxide to an aqueous solution of lactose, allowingthe mixture to react at a pH between about 9.0 and about 13.0, andacidifying the resulting reaction mixture to a pH of about 6.0, theproportion of lactose to alkali metal hydroxide in the reaction solutionbeing adjusted so as to produce products of lactose degradation andtransformation in the resulting reaction mixture in an amountcorresponding to about 40 to 60 parts of said lactose degradation andtransformation products for about 60 to 40 parts of lactose.
 9. Acarbohydrate mixture comprising the following main ingredients in thefollowing proportions:between about 2.0% and about 8.0% of mannose,between about 25.0% and about 50.0% of fructose, between about 35.0% andabout 60.0% of glucose, between about 0.5% and about 4.5% of adegradation product of lactose, between about 1.0% and about 3.0% ofgalactose, and between about 2.0% and about 8.0% of lactose,said mixturehaving a high water retention power.
 10. The carbohydrate mixtureaccording to claim 9, wherein the mixture comprises the followingingredients in the following proportions:about 0.5% of psicose, about3.6% of mannose, about 37.0% of fructose, about 53.3% of glucose, about1.3% of galactose, about 0.9% of a degradation product of lactose, about2.5% of lactose, andless than 0.3% of glutose and an unknown productdesignated as U₂.
 11. The carbohydrate mixture according to claim 9,wherein the mixture comprises the following main ingredients in thefollowing proportions:about 3.0% of mannose, about 31.1% of fructose,about 46.7% of glucose, about 2.1% of galactose, about 6.5% of lactose,about 0.2% of psicose, about 3.1% of a degradation of lactose, about2.2% of glutose, and about 4.7% of an unknown product designated as U₁..Iadd.
 12. A process for producing a carbohydrate mixture having highwater-retention power and which comprises the following steps: a.reacting an aqueous solution of at least one carbohydrate selected fromthe group consisting of glucose and lactose at a temperature up to about25° C. with an aqueous alkaline agent solution in a pH range between 9.0and 13.0 until no further increase in water-retention power of theresulting admixture of reaction products is obtained, the pH decreasingwithin the stated range during the resulting reaction, and b. adjustingthe pH of said resulting admixture to a pH of about 6.0. .Iaddend..Iadd.13. A process according to claim 12 for producing a carbohydratemixture having high water-retention power and which comprises thefollowing steps: a. adding an aqueous alkaline agent solution to theaqueous carbohydrate solution until the pH value of the carbohydratesolution is about 13.0, b. allowing the carbohydrate in said solution toreact until the pH value in the resulting mixture is about 9.0, c.adding more aqueous alkaline agent solution to said resulting mixtureuntil the pH value thereof is about 13.0, d. allowing a reaction toproceed in the thus-obtained mixture until the pH-value of saidthus-obtained mixture is about 9.0, e. repeating steps (c) and (d)alternately until no further increase in water-retention power of theresulting admixture of reaction products is achieved, and f. adjustingthe pH-value of said resulting admixture at a pH of about 6.0..Iaddend..Iadd.
 14. A stable (glucose and/or lactose)/(aqueous alkalineagent) reaction product which is a carbohydrate mixture and which, whenapplied to skin, a. causes retention of water in the horny layer of theskin to which it is applied and b. keeps the skin to which it is appliedsmooth and flexible in a manner comparable with such properties of theneutral skin sugar fraction. .Iaddend..Iadd.
 15. A cosmetic compositionhaving ingredient means for normalizing the water content of the stratumcorneum and carrier therefor, the composition containing an effectiveconcentration of the ingredient means for rendering skin, to which it isapplied, smooth and flexible, the ingredient means having a pH of about6.0 having high-water-retention power and being a reaction product ofglucose and/or lactose with an alkaline agent. .Iaddend..Iadd.
 16. Acosmetic composition according to claim 15 which is an oil-in-wateremulsion. .Iaddend..Iadd.
 17. A cosmetic composition according to claim15 which is a water-in-oil emulsion. .Iaddend..Iadd.
 18. A cosmeticcomposition according to claim 15, from 0.1 to 5 percent by weight ofwhich is the ingredient means. .Iaddend.